Antimagnetic war-mine suitable for rapid setting and sowing



1966 G. ROMANO 3,282,212

ANTIMAGNETIC WAR-MINE SUITABLE FOR RAPID SETTING AND SOWING Filed Sept.24, 1964 Fig. I

b2 (12 ;1 R B y H WW! M "2 IV J J I: f A J A O Qa% C5 C7 03 I 6 INVENTORGUIDO ROMANO y film /M HTTORNEYS 3,282,2i2 Patented Nov. 1, 1966 iceANTHMAGNETEC WAR-MTNE SUITABLE FOR RAPID SETTENG AND SOWWG Guido Romano,Para, Tessin, Switzerland, assignor to Austalt Brind, Trieseu,Liechtenstein, a corporation of Liechtenstein Filed Sept. 24, 1964, Ser.No. 399,016

8 Claims. (Cl. 102-8) The object of the present invention is ananti-magnetic war-mine, suitable for rapid setting, without any risk,onto any kind of ground, and which can be planted by hand ormechanically by means of vehicles or aircraft, as well as by means ofthrowing apparatus.

The war-mine, according to this invention, is characterized by a basinmade of moulded material, containing the explosive charge, and by a capmade of elastic material,

which surmounts said basin and forms, together with a separating flange,an air chamber communicating through a calibrated hole with a bagdestined to be inflated whenever a pressure is exerted onto said cap,and to act onto a releasing device, which sets free a striker, while theair compressed by the pressure moreover acts onto a membrane which, inits turn, acts directly on the striker in order to cause it to strike acapsule, the releasing device being arranged in such a way as not to setfree said striker as a result of a shock.

In a particular form of execution, the mine is provided with asupplementary safety device which is to be set out of action prior tosetting or throwing said mine.

The annexed drawing shows merely by way of example, such a mine, but itgoes without saying that the mine without said supplementary safetydevice is included in the present patent.

FIG. 1 shows a vertical sectional view according to line JJ in FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 shows a view of the mine as seen from above, the mine beingdeprived of its upper elements. The mine as shown comprises an envelope,the lower part of which being constituted by a basin A made of plasticmaterial, containing an explosive charge S. Said basin shows, in itscentral part, a hole a closed with a screwed plug P.

A fitting Q made of rubber or analogous matter secures tightness. I

The charge S shaped as a flat cake, the central hole s of which isoccupied by a cylindrical detonator (primer) T presenting a central holet and containing the capsule U of a unified type, has a lateral groove sThe charge with the detonator and the capsule is held in position by alid C engaged 'in the basin A and retained by a ring B which has, in itslower section, a threaded part 12 being engaged in the thread a of thebasin. In its upper section, the ring is provided with a number ofnotches b which serve to screw the lid by means of a key-wrench.

The lid C has in its center a reinforced part K extending from each sideof the lid. The lower part has the shape of a truncated cone andpenetrates into an identically shaped basis t provided in the upper faceof detonator T. The central reinforcement is traversed by asquare-shaped hole 0 Moreover, said lid shows an eccentric hole 0extended by a jacket Cg.

Jacket 0 is located in the cavity s of the explosive charge S. On thesuperior face of lid C arise two pivots c symmetrically arranged withregard to the diameter passing through the axis of hole 0 anddiametrically opposed to this hole, as well as four circular-shapedsegments 0 and two stops 0 the latter being placed on either side ofhole 0 The upper part 6 of the central reinforcement of the lid has twodiametrically opposed trenches (FIG. 2).

On the pivots 0 are mounted two symmetrical arms n belonging to thereleasing device N of the mine. Both these arms 11 are shaped like adouble crank lever whose branches n opposed to the point of pivoting nare attracted towards each other by a spring 0 hooked in two holes 11 ofthe arms n Facing said spring, the lid has a slot 0 in which spring 0can move unhindered. On their inner sides the branches 11 are thickerthan the remaining parts of the arms n thus forming clamping jaws, whichwill be the object of further description.

The envelope is completed by a cap E, made of elastic material andhaving the shape of a truncated cone. The rim of said envelope has aU-shaped interior channel, wherein is engaged the rim of a separatorflange D made of plastic material.

Cap and flange together are fixed onto the basin by means of ring Bfixing lid C. Tightness is secured by a fitting R and by the rim e ofcup E.

Separator D presents in its center a hole d closed by a membrane P whichis held in place by a ring H provided with a T-shaped transverselsection. Membrane E, made of elastic material, has a periphericalchannel wherein is engaged the edge of hole d of flange D. The part I1of ring H, forming the jamb of the T, is slightly conical. Separator Dfurthermore has an eccentered hole d corresponding to hole 0 of the lid:the rim of said hole d is engaged in a peripherical channel g providedby the orifice of bag G which penetrates into jacket d of the lid, afterhaving transversed the space separating the clamping jaws 11 from thereleasing device N. Bag G is thus fiat tened in its median part. Theorifice of bag G is closed by a stopper I which also serves formaintaining in place said bag and has a calibrated hole of smalldiameter i Located below membrane F is striker L composed of a disk W2pressing closely against the membrane, of a shaft of quadrangularsection, to be inserted in the corresponding hole of lid C, and of asteel firingpin M located in an axial hole of shaft W1 and situatedabove capsule U.

Said firing-pin is normally hindered to strike the capsule by twopointers n sustained by arms n and penetrating through the trenches of 0into the quadrangular hole c the base of shaft W1 rests on thesepointers located on its trajectory.

Each, basin A, lid C and separator flange D, show an eccentric hole [1 cand d All these three holes are ali ned among each other. Separatorflange D shows on its lower side a ring-shaped, threaded proturberance dconcentric to hole d wherein is screwed the upper extremity 1/ of asleeve V, made of plastic material, the other extremity of which has abottom part provided with a central hole and with circumferential holesv This sleeve penetrates through holes c and (1 A threaded ring W and afitting Y made of rubber or plastic material provide tightness betweenthe sleeve and the basin. An analogous fitting Y is located in thering-shaped protuberance d aasaa 12 Within sleeve V is mounted a plungerX of plastic material, supported by a shaft x slightly protruding fromthe axial hole of the bottom of said sleeve, and showing near its freeextremity a diametral hole x the role of which will be explained below.The plunger bears a hemispherically-shaped head x which constitutes avalve obturating hole d under the action of a spiral spring Zsurrounding shaft x Plunger X is not tightly mounted in the sleeve.

Functioning of said mine is as follows: If a pressure superior to thepressure of calibration is applied on cap E, the air contained betweenthe cap and separator D is compressed, spring Z being suflicientlystrong as to resist to this pressure, the air passes through hole i ofthe stopper I and inflates bag G, which pushes aside the clamping jaws12 and, consequently, the pointers 11 As soon as both arms aresufficiently displaced in their angular motion around their pivots c thepointers release the shaft of striker L which, driven by the pressureexercised on it through membrane F by the air compressed in cap E,violently strikes capsule U with its firing-pin M, thus provoking theignition of detonator T and the explosion of the mine.

The fundamental advantage of said mine lies in its being shockproof,i.e. it cannot be triggered by a shock, since bag G obtains the airwhich is to inflate it through a little hole, thus preventing animmediate inflating of said bag. In other words, in order to reach aninflation of bag G, the pressure must be applied onto the cap during acertain time: This renders the mine insensitive to shocks and topressure waves. This insensibility allows the mechanical planting ofthese mines without incurring any risk. The releasing device itself isconceived in such a way as not to set free the striker as a consequenceof a shock or through dropping of the mine onto the ground. In fact, thetwo pointers cannot simultaneously move away from the shaft of thestriker as a result of a shock, for the arms n both being mobile on asame plane cannot move through inertia in the same direction. Only oneof these arms can move, whilst the other is held back by the centralreinforcement c its pointer n thus retaining the striker.

The safety device incorporated in said mine improves the safetyconditions during manipulations prior to setting or throwing the mine.The safety device is operated as follows: after partially extractingshaft x a pin is inserted into hole x This pin comes to rest on thebottom of the basin as soon as the shaft is released, which keeps head xat a distance from hole d Thus the mine cannot explode, for even if apressure is exerted onto cap E, the releasing device does not work; infact, instead of penetrating into bag G, the air compressed by the capescapes unhindered through the holes v after passing through sleeve V.Bag G is therefore not inflated and the pointer 11.; continue to holdback the striker. On removing the pin, spring Z can work again and pushhead x of plunger X against hole d closing the latter.

The safety device, as described, may allow of a compensation of thepressure which is present in the chamber delimited by cap E and theseparator D. It suflices, for this purpose, that head x does not fullyobturate hole d or, in other words, to provide the closing of theholewith very small loss. When, under the circumstances, an increase intemperature causes an expansion of the air in said chamber, this air maygradually escape from the chamber through the imperfectly closed hole dA decrease in temperature of the air in the chamber will inverselyprovoke an aspiration of air from outside, again through the valve thatis not perfectly sealed. Hence, a heavy rise in temperature will notcause the mine to explode, nor will a sharp fall in temperature renderit inactive.

In its simplified form of execution, which does not com- PIise asupplementary s f ty evice, the mine is identical with that describedwith regard to the drawing, except that it is not provided with sleeveand plunger, and that the separator, the lid and the basin are deprivedof the eccentered holes d c and a The functioning of said mine isentirely the same as that of the aforementioned mine with safety deviceput out of action, i.e. with an obturated hole d Virtually without anymetallic parts, the mine accord= ing to the present invention isdiflicult to trace by means of the detecting devices existing to date.

I claim:

1. In a non-magnetic war mine, a basin made of nonmagnetic moldedplastic material, an explosive charge contained in said basin, aresilient non-magnetic cap mounted over said basin and having a marginalseparating flange engaging said basin, said cap and basin formingtogether an air chamber, a resilient flexible inflatable bagcommunicating through a calibrated hole with said air chamber, said bagbeing so arranged as to be inflated when pressure is applied to saidcap, a locked striker, a releasing device adapted to release saidstriker, said releasing device being adapted and mounted to be releasedby said bag when it is inflated, and a resilient membrane mounted fordisplacement by the application of pressure on said cap, said membranebeing mounted when displaced to displace said striker and to strike saidexplosive charge, said releasing device being irresponsive to a suddenapplied shock.

2. In a non-magnetic war mine, a basin made of nonmagnetic moldedplastic material, an explosive charge contained in said basin, aresilient non-magnetic cap mounted over said basin and having a marginalseparating flange engaging said basin, said cap and basin formingtogether an air chamber, a resilient flexible inflatable bagcommunicating through a calibrated hole with said air chamber, said bagbeing so arranged as to be inflated when pressure is applied to saidcap, a locked striker, a releasing device adapted to release saidstriker, said releasing device being adapted and mounted to be releasedby said bag when it is inflated, and a resilient membrane mounted fordisplacement by the application of pressure on said cap, said membranebeing mounted when displaced to displace said striker and to strike saidexplosive charge, said releasing device being irresponsive to a suddenapplied shock, said releasing device comprising two symmetricallymounted arms, a lid mounted above said explosive charge, said two armspivoting respectively on one of their ends on said lid, said arms bytheir four ends and said lid embracing said inflatable bag, a pointerformed on each of said arms which upon closing together of said armsintercepts said striker, and which releases said striker when the bag isbeing inflated and separates said arms apart.

3. A mine according to claim 2, said two arms being mounted fordisplacement angularly in one common plane, a stop, a spring normallyholding said pointers against said stop, said arms and their saidpointers being mounted to release said striker by moving away from saidstop, whereby that under the application of shock, one at most of saidarms will by inertia be freed from said striker.

4. A mine according to claim 3, said basin having a threaded rim, asingle ring screwed on to said threaded rim, said lid, said separatingflange and said cap being fixed on to said basin by said ring.

5. A mine according to claim 4, said separating flange being a disk,having a marginal rim, said cap having a peripheral channel, said rim ofsaid disk being engaged in said peripheral channel of said cap, said capand said disk being pressed against each other by said ring.

6. A mine according to claim 3, and a supplementary safety devicecomprising a valve mounted and connected on said air chamber which canbe blocked in open position to bring said air chamber into directcommunication with the outer atmosphere.

7. A mine according to claim 6, said separator flange having a hole, aspring acting on said valve, and said valve being arranged to close saidhole in said separator flange under the action of said spring, a pinmounted for holding said valve open, a shaft mounted on said flange,said shaft being accessible from outside said flange, and beingdisplaceable under the action of said spring, said shaft being providedwith a diametral bore adapted to receive said pin.

8. A mine according to claim 7, said valve being so ar- 10 ranged thatsaid valve does not seal hermetically tight said hole in said separatorflange, so that air may escape from or enter said chamber, as a resultrespectively of dilations or contractions of said chamber due tovariations of temperature.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCESMiren, German application No. 1,041,394, pub. Oct.

16, 1958, (1 sht. dwg., 2 pp. spec.).

BENJAIVIIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

15 SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Examiner.

1. IN A NON-MAGNETIC WAR MINE, A BASIN MADE OF NONMAGNETIC MOLDEDPLASTIC MATERIAL, AND EXPLOSIVE CHARGE CONTAINED IN SAID BASIN, ARESILIENT NON-MAGNETIC CAP MOUNTED OVER SAID BASIN AND HAVING A MARGINALSEPARATING FLANGE ENGAGING SAID BASIN, SAID CAP AND BASIN FORMINGTOGETHER AN AIR CHAMBER, A RESILIENT FLEXIBLE INFLATABLE BAGCOMMUNICATING THROUGH A CALIBRATED HOLE WITH SAID AIR CHAMBER, SAID BAGBEING SO ARRANGED AS TO BE INFLATED WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO SAIDCAP, A LOCKED STRIKER, A RELEASING DEVICE ADAPTED TO RELEASE SAIDSTRIKER, SAID RELEASING DEVICE BEING ADAPTED AND MOUNTED TO BE RELEASEDBY SAID BAG WHEN IT IS INFLATED, AND A RESILIENT MEMBERANE MOUNTED FORDISPLACEMENT BY THE APPLICATION OF PRESSURE ON SAID CAP, SAID MEMBRANEBEING MOUNTED WHEN DISPLACED, TO DISPLACE SAID STRIKER AND TO STRIKESAID EXPLOSIVE CHARGE, SAID RELEASING DEVICE BEING IRRESPONSIVE TO ASUDDEN APPLIED SHOCK.